Saharan Final event guide

Transcription

1 Saharan Final event guide 20 th -24 th October 2016

2 The Saharan Challenge Final Event Information We are now just six weeks away from the first ever Saharan Challenge, and by now you should have been training hard, and have tested your kit in preparation ready for the adventure! This final guide should provide all the details you need to help you make your final preparations & plans ready for the challenge! REGISTRATION PACK Your registration pack will be sent out to you in the post, to the address you gave when you registered onto the challenge. We ask that you bring it with you to the airport, with your event pass round your neck and number attached to your back pack so we can easily identify you as part of the challenge! - Your Confirmed Flight Details (or directions for meeting the group if you are land only) - Event Pass to wear around your neck on a lanyard, to identify you. - 2 Baggage Tags attach to your main hold bag and your trekking rucksack. This will help us identify the groups luggage, help us if it goes missing, and makes it easy to identify during the challenge If you have not received your pack by 13 October please get in touch by ing info@thesaharanchallenge.com or call us on FINAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Please check your 6 Week for details of the flight package you have booked with us (ie flight & airport meeting times) OR if you are meeting us in Marrakech details for where to be and when. Event Numbers & Baggage Tags You MUST travel from home to the airport with all items from your Registration Pack fully attached so bags are labelled with the tags provided AND please wear your Event Pass at the airport so our team can easily identify you. Flight Tickets You will NOT receive tickets prior to the Challenge, these will be given to you at the airport by our staff. Luggage Allowance There is a strict allowance of a maximum 15kg per person for your main bag, if your bag is over this weight then you will be subject to the airlines excess baggage charges. Main bags will be weighed, and any exceeding this limit will need decanting into your trekking rucksack / day bag which should be litres in size and you will carry it with you whilst trekking. Delay If you are running late on the day of departure please contact us immediately on (+44) so that we can inform the teams at the airport. Emergency contact details for our team in Morocco will be published 1 week before the event. Travel Clothes IMPORTANT! You MUST wear your outdoor clothing & hiking boots on the plane. This is because we will be transferring straight from the airport to our campsite, so if your main luggage goes missing, you will still be able to start the Challenge with the right gear. PASSPORT, INSURANCE AND MEDICAL DETAILS You MUST have updated your online form with your Passport, Insurance and Medical details PRIOR to travelling. If we do not have your details you will not be able to join the Challenge. Please ensure this is updated no later than the 13 October. CLICK HERE to update your Personal Details >>>

3 Passport British Citizens do NOT need a visa for Morocco, but you do need a valid passport (and ideally valid for 1 month beyond your stay). If you are NOT a British Citizen please check the visa / passport requirements by visiting the website of your embassy in Morocco. Without a passport you will not be able to travel so triple check you have this before setting off for the airport! Travel Insurance You MUST have appropriate travel insurance, and if you have not purchased this yet, you can do so through our recommended providers Campbell Irvine. Please be aware if you are travelling on an annual policy or a basic policy provided by your bank you MUST check that it covers you for a trip of this nature (ie trekking being the main activity). Please bring a printed copy of your Policy with you. CLICK HERE to go to the Campbell Irvine website for an online quote >> Medical If you have declared any on-going medical conditions to us you may be contacted by our UK Challenge Doctor. This is so he/she can understand any details and provide the best level of support during the Challenge. You must make us aware of any new medical issues which arise prior to departure. ITINERARY A summary of the Challenge itinerary is set out below, with a breakdown of the distances & timings for each day. The timings for an event of this size are extremely important as it gives everyone the best chance of completing their challenge and we do expect all participants to stick to timings and instructions issued by the Event Management Team. You will need to be organised yourself - sorting your bags, and adhering to the meal time schedule; we can t jeopardise the group s challenge by waiting for individuals if they are not ready to start on time. Weather will be a factor in how this event is actually run, as well as the general pace of the group so the timings may be subject to change. Thursday 20 October - Arrival 11:00 Land-only participants meet main group at arrivals hall of Marrakech Menara Airport 12:00 Whole group departs Marrakech Menara Airport on coaches (8 hour drive) 16:00 Stop for lunch en route 20:30 Arrival and check in to Hotel Tichka Salam, Ouarzazate 21:30 Dinner, briefing & kit check. Then bed! Friday 21 October Trekking Day 1 05:00 Early breakfast at the hotel 06:00 1 hour transfer to start line 07:15 Challenge begins! Mile 7 AM rest stop water & snacks Mile 14 Lunch stop Mile 19 PM rest stop water & snacks Mile 25 Overnight Camp, Akhellouf 19:00 Dinner and group briefing Saturday 22 October Trekking Day 2 06:00 Breakfast at the Campsite 07:00 Start Time Mile 33 AM Rest stop water & snacks Mile 37 Lunch stop Mile 43 PM Rest stop water & snacks Mile 49 The Finish Line, Nakhla Dunes 19:30 Coach from Finish Line to Hotel Riad Salam, Zagora 21:00 Group Dinner

4 Sunday 23 October Marrakech 08:00 Breakfast at the hotel 09:00 Coach transfer to Marrakech (8 hours) 17:00 Check in to Hotel Ryad Mogador Gueliz, Marrakech 19:30 Celebration Dinner Monday 24 October Return Home 06:00 Breakfast at the hotel 07:00 Transfer to Marrakech Menara Airport (approx 15 minutes) 10:25 Group 2 flight departs 10:45 Group 1 flight departs 14:05 Group 2 flight arrives at Stanstead Airport 14:20 Group 1 flight arrives at Gatwick Airport ALL Land Only participants must let us know their flight details ahead of departure. You can take the transfer to Marrakech Menara Airport at 07:00 at no extra cost - but you MUST let us know if you require this transfer or you will not be able to get on the coach. You can let us know by ing info@thesaharanchallenge.com. ACCOMMODATION You may have requested to share with another participant on your registration form, or paid for the single supplement option and this will apply for your tent & hotel room. All others will be on a twin share basis, matched with someone of similar age and sex. You will have your hotel and room mate confirmed in your registration pack in the post. Camp site facilities - Bedouin style camping Basic facilities & isolated location drinking water & toilets available but no showers - 2 man shared tents, unless a single supplement has been requested & paid Inflatable roll mats & tents are provided, you will need to bring a travel pillow You will need to put up & take down your tent each morning & 2 nd evening our staff will be there to help - There will be one dining marquee for group meals & briefings. All meals in camp will take place in two sittings, to ensure there is enough space in the marquee - An open surgery will be available each evening with our 2 Doctors for first aid / medical issues There will be daylight for most of the day, but will get dark after 7:30pm with the sun rising again around 6am Make sure you bring a headtorch as it will be needed at the campsite - There s no facility to charge phones or other electrical devices on the trail, so bring a portable battery and a charging device (solar powered) if you are an avid phone or I-Pod user! FOOD The food served on the challenge will be both nutritious and varied and ideal for an event of this nature. Please note, we will only be able to cater for dietary requirements that we have been made aware of in advance. We also recommend that you bring with you any of your favourite snacks & energy supplies to help you along the way. SAFETY ON THE ROUTE Emergency Control Procedures 1 week prior to departure we will you the Contact Details of our Event Management Team should you need to contact them during the Challenge for an emergency or for any other reason. Signage The trail will be marked with pink flags / markers where it s required. You will be required to walk in groups of 3 or more at all times, and we will have guides along the trail who can walk with if you wish. If the weather is bad then you might be required to walk in larger, guided groups as directed by the Event Management Team.

5 Dropping Out If you need to drop out of the Challenge, do so at one of the rest stops as there is no vehicle access to the rest of the route. You will need to inform the rest stop team that you wish to drop out and you will then be driven to the night s campsite or hotel to rest. If you drop out on the second day of the Challenge, you will be driven to the finish line. Cut-Off Times Will be enforced from the lunch stops onwards on both days. You are expected to walk at a minimum pace of 4km per hour and therefore complete the first day within about 14 hours, including rest stops & lunch. If you are unable to do so, you may be driven forward to the next rest stop or finish. Please respect the Event Manager s decision as this is for the safety of you and the group. Your pace on the first day will determine your start time on the second day. Bad Weather We are unlikely to see very bad weather on this Challenge, but please come prepared for rain regardless. To ensure safety on the Challenge, you must walk in a group of at least 3 people at all times. In the case of bad weather you may be asked to walk in larger groups with one of our guides. If we experience very bad weather then the timings and route could be changed at short notice. First Aid Medics will be available at rest stops & walking at the back for first aid. 2 UK Doctors - 1 male & 1 female will also be on hand. Maps and GPX The GPX route files and route maps will be available to you one week before the challenge so that you can download them onto your Garmin or similar. EVENT RULES Below is a selection of the main event rules / guide lines and are in place to keep all participants safe during the event 1. You must carry a mobile phone. This is an essential part of the emergency response process. 2. You must have your event pass on you at all times from meeting at the airport at the start of the event. 3. All participants must remain in a minimum of groups of 3 at all times. 4. All participants are expected to complete the entire distance each day. 5. All participants must respect any cut-off times. Anyone who fails to respect the decision of the Management Team foregoes the right to receive services from the organiser and will bear the cost of any subsequent search and rescue. 6. All participants must carry the clothing and equipment stipulated on the kit list. There will be a kit check and anyone without the correct clothing and equipment will not be allowed to start the event. 7. Your main luggage (to travel between camps) is limited to a maximum of 15kg. 8. All walking participants must remain behind the front marker guide and in-front of the back marker guide. All runners and joggers will not be guided, but will be expected to remain in groups of 3 as a minimum. 9. You are responsible for carrying out and disposing of any litter (including toilet paper) in the bins at the overnight camps. 10. All participants must have signed the medical declaration, and hold valid and appropriate Travel Insurance. DON T FORGET... Below is a quick check list to make sure you have all the key things ready for the Challenge. Money The Moroccan Dirham is officially a closed currency, so can rarely be purchased outside of the country. You can change money on arrival into the airport, or at the hotel. Credit and debit cards are accepted at most upmarket shops, restaurants and hotels - make sure you inform your bank that you plan to travel to Morocco before you leave. Clothing wear your hiking boots and trekking clothes on the plane or have them in your carry on rucksack Kit Check & Weigh Your Bag you must have the correct kit and that your main luggage does not exceed 15kg. Important Documents Passport and copies of your Travel Insurance are both a MUST! Phone make sure your phone is unlocked and will work in Morocco before you go coverage is good. Update Your Details if you haven t done so already make sure we have all of your updated Personal Details! Join our Facebook Page this is a dedicated page for our Challengers, and the place to go for all the latest updates and to meet fellow team mates. You can join by clicking here.

6 Plan your Travel Check train, driving & journey times. It s your responsibility to get to the airport on time! WHAT NEXT In the coming month you can expect to receive from us - By 13 th October Your Registration Pack arrived in the post to the address you registered with! 1 Week to Go Final - Route GPX files & Emergency Contact List Best of luck with all your preparations, we hope this Final Guide has been useful. If you have any questions that you don t think were answered here, just in to info@thesaharanchallenge.com and the team will be able to help.